Tempe man drowns in Colorado River

Two 32-year-old men drowned Sunday afternoon near Topock Gorge on the Colorado River, officials said Monday.

Anoop Gankidi, 32, of Tempe and Venkata Mukkaala, 32, of Milpitas, Calif., were pulled from the water after they failed to resurface on Aug. 3, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office. 

The two men were among five people using a rental pontoon, which was parked on a beach along the river, and the group entered the water to cool down, an MCSO release stated. 

Three people began to struggle in the water, and one was able to return to a shallow area. Mukkaala and Gankidi did not resurface, authorities said.

A diver found the two men, and they were pulled from 12-feet of water. They were underwater for about 20 minutes.

The men were pronounced dead at a hospital.

Impairment is not a factor, authorities said.

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